The Life of King Henry the Eighth — Act 5, Scene 6: Epilogue

King Henry VIII appears as the epilogue speaker and addresses the audience directly. He jokes that the play is unlikely to please everyone: some spectators are here only to relax and may have been startled by the trumpets, while others may want sharp jokes at the city’s expense, which the play has not provided. He says the play’s success now depends on the kind judgment of good women, because he has shown them a woman to approve of. If the ladies are pleased and smile on it, he says, the men will soon follow their lead and applaud as well.

'Tis ten to one this play can never please

All that are here: some come to take their ease,

And sleep an act or two; but those, we fear,

We have frighted with our trumpets; so, 'tis clear,

They'll say 'tis naught: others, to hear the city

Abused extremely, and to cry 'That's witty!'

Which we have not done neither: that, I fear,

All the expected good we're like to hear

For this play at this time, is only in

The merciful construction of good women;

For such a one we show'd 'em: if they smile,

And say 'twill do, I know, within a while

All the best men are ours; for 'tis ill hap,

If they hold when their ladies bid 'em clap.